Latest news with #Isle
USA Today
a day ago
- USA Today
Dominica's waterfalls and rainforest beckon the adventurous
As Jade Agboton slides off the boat into the calm ocean water, her heart is pounding; there are three whales on the surface just 30 feet away rolling onto their sides to take a snooze. Soon enough, they are all in the vertical position, like floating totem poles. She takes in a gulp of air at the surface and dives down to get a better look. That's when she realizes there's a fourth whale who is very much awake and making a beeline toward her. It approaches so quickly she has to swim fast to get out of its way. 'When I finally made eye contact with him, I felt as small and insignificant as this tiny eye on its massive body,' Agboton recalls. Overwhelming to say the least. But such encounters are not a once-in-a-lifetime occurrence in Dominica. Sperm whales live and breed off the coast of the Caribbean nation all year long. And humpbacks swing by from December to March, so whale sightings are quite common. Add to that eagle rays, turtles, eels and sardines, and Agboton is in heaven. Not surprisingly, that deep passion for all things oceanic is what prompted her to move to Soufrière — where the Caribbean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean — about a year ago. Before that, though, she didn't know Dominica (pronounced Dom-in-EEK-a) existed. That's still the case for many North Americans. 'I think some of the other Caribbean destinations like Antigua tend to get more media coverage and perhaps have that instant appeal because of the white sand and palm tree type image,' says Alex Outhwaite, a travel TV host based in London. 'Dominica is a bit more rugged, and the terrain is slightly different, but I actually think that's a big draw.' Emerald vegetation, black sand Agboton lives near UNESCO world heritage site Soufrière-Scotts Head Marine Reserve, an almost 500-foot-deep pool inside a submerged volcanic crater. Protected from the waves, the water is often calm and clear, making it the perfect spot for snorkeling, free diving and scuba diving. But the ocean is not the island's only appeal. Two-thirds of Dominica is covered in rain forest and 20 percent of the land is within the national park system. Not to mention, there are nine volcanoes, 365 rivers, black-sand beaches and hot springs galore. Among Agboton's favorite places are Trafalgar Falls and Boiling Lake in Morne Trois Pitons National Park. The lake, once a volcanic crater, is now one of the largest bodies of hot water in the world. Equally compelling is the 115-mile-long Waitukubuli National Trail, where you can pick a section that suits your ability. Here it's not uncommon to find colorful parrots, including the Jaco and Sisserou, broad-tailed hawks and four species of native hummingbirds. 'I was delighted with how lush and green Dominica is,' says Outhwaite. 'I guess that's partly why they call it the Nature Isle.' For an easy trek, the 100-foot Syndicate Falls is a solid option with minimal elevation gain and the reward of getting to swim and picnic once you get there. Scotts Head at the southwestern end of the island is equally accessible and offers a sweeping view of the island. Agboton also recommends kayaking the sea trail. 'It's a nice way to discover the island,' she says. 'In Soufrière we take kayaks or paddle boards and go from Scott's Head to Champagne reef. The whole trail from south to north on the Caribbean coast can be done in one day for experienced kayakers.' Where to Stay Secret Bay Resort, named four times by Travel + Leisure as the best resort in the Caribbean, is spread out among 50 acres. Arrive in dramatic fashion via the funicular. Living spaces include an upscale kitchen, private plunge pool and sweeping ocean views. Make time for a guided paddle to Secret Beach to see a hidden sea cave. Fort Young Hotel, a boutique hotel in Roseau, is ideal for water-based adventure. The house reef is perfect for snorkeling and standup paddling. There's a dive center on site with easy access to some of the top dives sites and the hotel can arrange for you to go swimming with sperm whales. Jungle Bay Dominica, an eco-luxe hotel in Soufrière, draws wellness enthusiasts thanks to its spa, yoga classes and holistic offerings. It's also home to tropical fruits, herbs and vegetables, which guests are encouraged to harvest.
Washington Post
6 days ago
- Politics
- Washington Post
Trump's trip to Scotland highlights his complex relationship with his mother's homeland
LONDON — U.S. President Donald Trump 's trip to Scotland this week will be a homecoming of sorts, but he's likely to get a mixed reception. Trump has had a long and at times rocky relationship with the country where his mother grew up in a humble house on a windswept isle.
The Herald Scotland
19-07-2025
- Sport
- The Herald Scotland
Nick Percy on the juggle, peaking and facing the world's best
At the age of 30, the discus thrower is currently better than he's ever been, and he's optimistic there's plenty more still to come. Earlier this year, Percy set a new Scottish record of 67.86m by over a metre, bettering his previous mark which he set last year on his way to making his Olympic debut at Paris 2024. That he's only now approaching his best has come as little surprise to Percy, who has been competing on the international stage for over a decade. 'Yes, I'm closer to the end of my career than the beginning, but I'm not actually at my peak yet, I don't think. I believe there's still room for improvement,' the Isle of Wight-based athlete says 'In discus, the older you get, the more stable, the more relaxed and the more patient you get and throwing far is so much down to timing and experience. 'Discus is generally an old man's game so as long as you stay healthy, you can be competing well into your 30s. 'So for me, I believe there's still a lot more in the tank. Whether I can achieve that or not is part of the excitement of the next few years.' Percy's Scottish record came just weeks into the season and had the added bonus of securing the qualification standard for this season's World Championships, which will take place in Tokyo in September. While this alone doesn't guarantee Percy's place in the GB team for what would be his third World Championships appearance following his selections in 2017 and 2022, it goes quite some way to ensuring he'll be Japan-bound. A top-two finish at next month's British Championships is still required to confirm his ticket to Tokyo but Percy acknowledges his excellent early season form has removed a considerable amount of the stress of the summer from his shoulders. That the Scot is competing on this stage at all is something of a miracle given quite how different his circumstances are to almost all of his peers. While his compatriots such as Josh Kerr, Jake Wightman, Laura Muir et al all have the luxury of being full-time athletes (and have been for a number of years), Percy combines his status as an international athlete with his full-time job as a PE teacher at Ryde School with Upper Chine. (Image:) It makes for a challenging schedule and while Percy, who did train full-time in his mid-twenties, admits that while the privilege of being a full-time athlete once again would likely not be something he'd turn down if the opportunity arose, he's more than happy with his current set-up. 'Combining athletics and work means there are some weeks I want to pull my hair out but most of the time, I really enjoy it,' Percy says of the juggle. 'There can be really tricky weeks where training has to be very much reduced because of work so doing both does bring unusual challenges because most people at this standard are just training, sleeping, eating and repeating, whereas I have some different stresses in the mix. 'So while it is difficult, it's not impossible. Other people do it too, so I can't complain too much and I have had my chance of being full-time and that's helped to get me to where I am now. I would love to have the opportunity again to train full-time, but also I'm 30 years old and I don't want to let go of what might be my long-term, professional career in a few years' time.' With Percy in the form of his athletics' life, he's in as good a position as he's ever been to take on the very best in the world. Today, the Scot will take to the field at the London Athletics Meet in what has been described as one of the greatest discus fields ever assembled outwith the Olympics or World Championships. From Olympic champion Roje Stona to world champion Daniel Ståhl to world record holder Mykolas Alekna to British record holder Lawrence Okoye, Percy is in little doubt as to how stiff a test this afternoon's competition will be. And given the Scot is significantly smaller physically than most of his discus peers - Percy is 6ft 2in in comparison to Alekna's 6ft 11in - competing in the way he does with such physical specimens is no mean feat. The Scot knows he heads into this afternoon's event as the underdog but rather than be daunted by the prospect of facing the greats of his event once again, he's relishing the opportunity to see just what he can do. 'Ahead of the Olympics last summer, the media was calling me a kid in a field of man mountains, and that was probably fair because they are so much bigger than me,' Percy says of his rivals. 'But I'm excited to go up against these guys again, and I'm excited to see how I can do. 'The quality in London is so high that I could throw 63 metres and still be well down the field but I just need to take everything I can from this competition in terms of experience.'
The Sun
26-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Love Island fans work out ‘real reason' Remell chose Alima over Poppy – despite saying he was ‘done' with her
grafting Four Islanders were dumped as a result of the recoupling LOVE Island fans have worked out the 'real reason' Remell chose to stick with Alima - despite saying he was 'done' with her. In last night's Love Island Remell, Helena, Dejon and Emily had to decide whether to stick with their current couples or recouple with the new bombshells. 2 2 During the sleepover Remell grew close to new girl Poppy and suggested things between him and Alima were over. He told Poppy: 'I'm being comfy around you still. It's the first time in, you know, the villa that I have felt like this, so it's telling me something.' Despite this, he chose to stick with Alima last night resulting in Poppy being dumped. Fans rushed to social media to share their theories behind the move - insisting it's all part of his plan to win. One wrote: 'Remell played a blinder. He had everyone think he was going to go for Poppy. 'Alima will get mad, but eventually she'll forgive him. He created some drama for his boring storyline with Alima.' Someone else said: 'Remell is playing a game he knew what would've happened if he recoupled.' And a third added: 'Wowwwwww! I really thought he was picking Poppy. This guy is really playing a game.' Helena was the only person to couple up with her bombshell, choosing to bring hunky Gio back to the villa with her. As a result of this, Shea was sent packing. Joinung Shea on the plane home were Poppy and her fellow bombshells Will and Caprice.
The Sun
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
28 Years Later film review: Breathtaking camera work is backed by a cracking script and top performances
28 YEARS LATER 15, 115mins ★★★★★ ZOMBIE films can be a bit like zombies themselves - they just keep coming back for more. And thank god those relentless undeads do. Because they make an excellent subject for this outstanding movie, which has to be the finest of the '28' collection so far. It's been nearly three decades since a deadly virus escaped from a weapons lab and Cillian Murphy woke up from a coma in a deserted hospital in 2002's cult classic, 28 Days Later. Britain is now completely quarantined, meaning if you step onto it, you can never get off. It's a wasteland of roaming, hungry zombies and pockets of hidden communities that are desperately trying to survive. One of those is on a small Island off the coast of the north east, where Jamie (Aaron Taylor-Johnson), his wife Isla (Jodie Comer) and their son Spike (Alfie Williams) live. The island feels very The Wicker Man. They have their own laws, hierarchy and a cult-like mentality, with the men and women having traditional roles. One of those is that the men go to the mainland - crossing the heavily defended causeway which is mostly underwater - to hunt zombies with homemade weapons. We meet Spike on his first day of shooting arrows at the undead. To show his childish nativity, he considers packing an action man doll in his rucksack to take on the savage trip with his dad. The expedition doesn't go that smoothly - as massacring the walking dead rarely does - and there's plenty of watch-through-a-squint, heart racing moments. The trip opens Spike's eyes to truths he was shielded from before, including a brilliant meeting with Ralph Fiennes. The breathtaking and gritty camera work is backed by a thumbing soundtrack, cracking script and some mighty fine performances from some of our best actors. Having dipped out of directing 2007's 28 Weeks Later, Danny Boyle is back along with writer Alex Garland, showing once again they are the dream team of this genre. Let's hope they come back for another bite.
